Today we’d like to introduce you to Nixon Poon.
Hi Nixon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Hong Kong but was born in Canada when my parents resided there. At such a young age, I was introduced to video games and since then, I have never swayed away from it. In Hong Kong, as much as it is a progressive country, video games has always been looked down upon. I play many single-player or coop games, while people around me lean towards something else competitive. I have never been a competitive person myself, so I became a loner when it comes to the games I play. I remember playing Maple Story, World of Warcraft, and Call of Duty a lot, while others stick with their online games that are usually elsewhere. Before I start to talk about my story, I would love to put an emphasis towards family values and friendship. I thought my story was simple, struggling artist privileged but oblivious. Unfortunately, it is full of pain and paranoia. What and who I am today, maybe also a thousand of you who were reading this article. I wish to use this chance to inspire others to not give up into painful moments in life and to think about your family or friends that push you to achieve something. Life will constantly throw roadblocks in front of us, but it was those hard times that made us human, and being one, I wish this article can reach some of you.
My chance comes when I am able to finally leave Hong Kong and study in the US. I thought it would help me start anew and leave the past alone. At gnomon, I worked very hard and smart toward my goal to seek employment. After failing it once from Savannah College of Art and Design, I must redeem myself. I have to make the decision that is criticized by some of my teachers and faculties, not that they are wrong, in fact they are correct on all of the things they said. However, it was about me wanting to do it; I deviated from my main focus to do something I found interest in that is technical art and spend a lot of time on it. Slowed down my environment art but strengthened my ability to be faster and more efficient. At one point, I threw everything together and got noticed by AAA company, I know I was doing something right; the only barrier between me and employment is Visa. Arguably not as hard to get for me because I’m Canadian, but it is still a barrier. After many rejections and visa issues, I landed a job; it was still mindblowing today. All the paranoia and fear that I had faded… so I thought.
Little do I know, it was only the beginning of a painful, stressful, and unforgiving time of my life. Being an adult carries a lot of weight, but I wasn’t expecting it to be worse than that.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with a games degree, but I struggled to find employment with my old portfolio. I am in constant denial about my level of skills, and eventually, I must admit that I need to do a lot better than what I have right now. When I wasn’t employed, I hit rock bottom, so I thought, knowing that I failed my family. However, life kept throwing tantrums towards me.
Just this year July 2023, I lost my brother from a fatal car accident. It hurt me deeply. It got me to think a lot about family values and reflecting upon my life. It gave me more appreciation to life and my job, career, family, and friends. It struck me that my brother has a successful business in the United States as a Car Installer. As my mother did say, “Your brother passed away during his most prosperous year, most affluent to his friends and family; at least he passed away holding success and pride.” I’m not like my brother, who possesses such a great mind of being an influencer and businessman. I accept that I don’t have to be him to define success. It happened so recently that I’m still wounded and traumatized, but to give up an opportunity that I fought hard for a setback in life is reckless and defeats the purpose of all those years that I struggled by emotional suicide.
Despite my successful career and seemingly bright future, I have promised myself to be closer, more open and encourage more communication with my family overseas. I was working hard for myself and only myself; I have sometimes discarded my family from the equation. Upon my brother’s passing, I realized how important family and friends truly are. They contributed to my success indirectly. They are the one point to put forth trust, support, and unlimited love. Of course, there is the aspect of finance; I am glad I never have to worry about it.
Cherish your friends and family and say thank you to them, share your success with them, and help them when they are in need, just like how they have helped you to become what you are today. For people struggling to find success in the industry, believe yourself and think about your friends and family, tell them your struggle. They are rooted for your success, may that thought give you the energy to power through obstacles. I always find lending help and support after finding success yourself is the best way to repay one; I carry this believe everywhere and won’t hold back.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an Environment/Technical artist, I work on game environments that people run around on. However, as someone who plays a lot of games, I was attracted to explore at the player’s own phase. It’s always enjoyable to explore, to find things I want to learn to make, and to make a version that was mine. Being a Technical artist goes further than art, I see it as making art unique and fun to play with. Since young, I have always loved to make my own game and despite needing to focus my energy on Art, I have found time to learn how to program features that can be implemented into a game. Although programming a full game is way beyond what I can do, but I believe little by little, I am able to make something. It’s a constant adventure to create your own content and give it life and meaning. When I build my environments, I have found a lack of animation and movement. Such a beautiful work of art but yet we can barely feel it. When looking at something static, it came to my attention that I’m looking at a picture, and it would be more fun to be within it. This is where my technical skills come in. Not only does the knowledge with Unreal Engine allow me to explore moving features, it also doesn’t stop me from injecting life into work so that it comes alive.
A few animation and effect makes a big difference. These little things although minor, but it imitate what we are used to in life. It doesn’t matter what mood we are trying to implement; it gives excitement and emotion to what we see. I love putting references of my life into my work; for example, I put my school Gnomon in my Cyberpunk Environment. I imagine I live in it, and I want others to do that too.
Each work is an exploration of my weakness and strength, I take each work that I made as a challenge to be better and be a self-exploration. Cyberpunk Alleyway is based on a concept that I thought was concept art, full of very intriguing details and a clean read. However, living in Hong Kong myself, I want to implement neons into my work, hence crazy neon signs, exploring beauty, it is the city that I know of. I want others to see through my eyes and live through the environment I made and features that I put time into; animation of a car coming around and flickering light are all aspects of life I know of. I make an environment that I want to be in, trying to create based on concepts with twists that make sense to me.
Every feature that I implement tells a bit of a story of who I am. In my Scifi Invaded quarter, I have put around medical and lavatory apparatus to indicate something has gone very wrong and is no longer just a lab. In my train station, I implemented features of the United States flag and fan flag, American Propaganda to showcase my love for the Country. And in my swamp? I have a vision of a traveling circus in a marshland. Heavily inspired by Zangar Marsh from World of Warcraft.
The point that I want to make is that we are inspired every day from the things we see, and I felt the need as an artist to be involved in the artwork that I make. Putting inspirations and little features in the work made it my own version. Although the artworks are all based on concept art I saw on Artstation, I want to use that chance to express something that is within self and not in the concept. It makes the project fun to work on not a chore. I found that many people trying to fight into the industry overwork themselves, having a hard time finding inspiration and overall not having fun. I know because I was exactly that way. While making art, even though it is based on someone’s vision, it is important for one to stay relevant and be connected to what you are making. This may be my way of coping with boredom; it is very effective. It creates depth and makes things more fun.
Many say that you don’t choose to be a Technical artist, but a technical artist chooses their master. What I do to animate and add effects in my art is completely unnecessary. However, not only does it help with production, it also gives art another layer of realism or immersion. For me, that’s what Environment is all about, hence why I do it. For me, it is fun to do them; it’s my way of relaxing to do something that gives souls to little bits and pieces around the places I’m making.
Being artists, we have our standards in quality. These seemingly unnecessary details really help to make your work stand out from the crowd. Even for someone whose not technical should allow themselves to see life in their pieces. It helped me see the environment differently, and I think it will for many people.
Be unique, we are artists; what is there left if making art becomes a chore over fun? I highly recommend others to think this way. Do not force yourself to do something that isn’t fun; finding your voice and method takes a lifetime, and I’m glad that school, people, and the industry gave me the inspiration to seek what is important in art for myself. And we all should.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I personally don’t read a lot of books, but I like to browse YouTube a lot. It is cliché to say that YouTube is the best resource. However, it is what helped me grow the fastest as a 3D artist who were very confused about proceeding in life. However, the curiosity of every 3D artist would come from artbook of their favorite game or film. I’m huge into World of Warcraft, Diablo, Guildwars, and Soul series games that I will always have an artbook around me for inspiration. Most artist has their inspiration come from somewhere. For me, it was Fanny Vergne, Manuel De Jorge, and Ben Erdt who inspired me the most for my work. I look at their work and wonder all the time how they achieve the quality; it gets me curious; hence I do my research to be as good as the master. All artists aspire to be some artist they saw online or in real life, and it is important to have that figure to improve. However, it is easy to see them as a goal but also think that you will never be as good as them. I think many people fall for that; in fact, the technical side of art is about quality, and we are almost afraid of using them as standard. I struggle as an artist to think that I won’t be as good as the master, eventually realizing that I should strive to be as good as them.
It is important to have a curious mind and constantly learn about new things and new techniques, on the internet it is an open book of everything scattered around, and we should absorb as much as we like without thinking that they are useless knowledge. I watched way too much YouTube on tutorial on Unreal Engine that I thought was completely pointless, only to realize that they can be one day a few years later. We all learn differently, I like to watch a few videos about something I am curious about every night before bed, and I think it keeps my curiosity going.
Good influence matters. My inspiration comes from various artists, my family, and school. Be inspired and be curious is my way of coping with the growing world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nixonpoon3d.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nixonpoon/
Image Credits
TrainStation Ref: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/BEB68 Artist: Helio Frazao SciFi Corridor ref: by Dorje Seattle Bellbrook’s Sketches and Paintings Cyberpunk Alleyway: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/e01D5D Artist: Stanislav Verbitsky
